The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas A&M
Men's Basketball falls to Texas A&M, 100-82
02.05.2007 | Men's Basketball
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) -- Josh Carter scored 24 points and Acie Law added 21 points and 15 assists, leading No. 6 Texas A&M to a 100-82 victory over Texas on Monday night.
The Aggies, coming off a big win at then-No. 6 Kansas on Saturday, won their 21st straight home game and maintained sole possession of first place in the Big 12.
Kevin Durant had 28 points and 15 rebounds for the Longhorns (16-7, 6-3 Big 12), but the Aggies finally found some scoring punch to go with one of the nation's stingiest defenses -- and that was too much for Texas and its super freshman.
Durant set a Longhorns freshman record with his 14th double-double. The previous mark was held by Ron Baxter, who had 13 in 1976-77.
Texas A&M (20-3, 8-1) led 69-63 when Law hit the court hard and had to be helped to the locker room, biting his jersey in pain because of an ailing leg. The record crowd of 13,196 that included Texas Gov. Rick Perry chanted "A-cie! A-cie!" as he left the court.
With Joseph Jones already on the bench with four fouls, the Aggies were left to depend on inexperienced freshman Donald Sloan and Bryan Davis.
But the pair came through. Sloan kept Durant in check and Davis added four points until Law returned about three minutes later.
A 3-pointer by A.J. Abrams and two free throws by D.J. Augustin cut A&M's lead to 76-73, but the Longhorns got no closer. Augustin scored 23 points and had nine assists.
Sloan continued to impress even after Law returned, capping a 7-2 run with his basket that made it 83-75.
Carter added a basket before a steal by Sloan and another basket by Carter made it 87-75, and the Longhorns never threatened again.
Durant's 28 points were the most an opponent has scored against the Aggies this season. It was the first time Texas A&M allowed more than 70 points.
The Aggies were still able to hold Texas to less than 50 percent shooting, marking the nation-best 34th straight time Texas A&M has done that.
Durant scored 12 points in the first six minutes of the second half, including seven straight that gave the Longhorns a 58-57 lead, their first of the game.
A&M quickly got back on top on Carter's 3-pointer on the next possession, only to see it tied back up when Augustin hit a pair of free throws.
Sloan hit a quick 3 and Antanas Kavaliauskas sandwiched two baskets around a free throw by Durant to push Texas A&M's lead to 67-61 with 11:24 remaining. Kavaliauskas had 18 points and Sloan added 11.
Both teams shot 37 free throws, with the Longhorns making 27 and the Aggies 23. Jones and Dominique Kirk fouled out for A&M.
The Aggies led by as many as 14 points in the first half, but Texas made 20 of 21 free throws to cut the deficit to 45-40 at halftime.
POSTGAME NOTES
Team
- Texas had two players score at least 20 points for the ninth time this season. It is the second time Kevin Durant and D.J. Augustin have accomplished the feat together in 2006-07.
- Texas has had at least one player reach the 20-point mark in all 23 games this season.
- Texas has made at least one 3-pointer in 533 consecutive games.
- Texas recorded nine or more blocks for the seventh time this season.
Connor Atchley
- Atchley has recorded at least one block in 10 consecutive games.
A.J. Abrams
- Abrams has scored in double figures in 19 of 23 games this season.
- Abrams has made at least one 3-pointer in 26 consecutive games dating to last season.
D.J. Augustin
- Augustin reached the 20-point mark for the fifth time this season.
- Augustin has scored in double figures in 16 of 23 games this season.
- Augustin was 10-of-10 from the free throw line in the first half, tying the UT individual record for free throw percentage in a half (minimum eight attempts since 1988-89) with six other players. Augustin's 10 free throws is the highest total among those players. It is only the third time the feat has been accomplished in Big 12 play.
- Augustin scored 10 of his 12 first-half points from the free throw line.
- Augustin's 12 made free throws tie his career high (vs. Texas State, 12-16-06).
- Augustin has recorded at least seven assists in 12 of 23 games this season.
Kevin Durant
- With 15 rebounds, Durant now has 267, setting a new Big 12 freshman rebounding record (257, Arthur Johnson, Missouri, 2000-01).
- Durant registered his 14th double-double of the season, setting a new UT freshman record (13, Ron Baxter, 1976-77).
- Durant eclipsed the 20-point mark for the 20th time in 23 games and has reached double figures in all 23 contests.
- Durant has scored at least 26 points in all eight Big 12 games this season.
- Durant has posted three or more blocks in back-to-back games. He has three or more in seven games this season and has done so in back-to-back games twice.
- Durant reached double figures in rebounding for the 14th time this season.
- Durant recorded at least 15 rebounds for the sixth time this season.
Damion James
- James reached double figures in scoring for the seventh time this season.
- James' four blocks in the first half tied his previous single-game high (at Tennessee (12-23-06).
- James recorded three blocks in the first three minutes of the game.
